Undergraduate Module Descriptor

POC2005: American Politics

This module descriptor refers to the 2021/2 academic year.

Please note that this module is only delivered on the Penryn Campus.

Module Aims

This module comprehensively examines the political system of the United States, from its foundations with the Declaration of Independence and Constitution, through the way its institutions work, to contemporary debates about gun control and health care. We will use theories and findings from the study of US Politics to understand politics in each of the domains we study. We will survey classic and contemporary work in these fields.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

This module's assessment will evaluate your achievement of the ILOs listed here – you will see reference to these ILO numbers in the details of the assessment for this module.
On successfully completing the programme you will be able to:
Module-Specific Skills1. Demonstrate knowledge of the major theories of US Politics in the various subfields we examine in oral and written work;
2. Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of different theories and research in oral and written work;
3. Apply major theories about US Politics to historical and contemporary issues in oral and written work;
Discipline-Specific Skills4. Demonstrate comprehension and the ability to use key concepts pertaining to US Politics in oral and written work;
5. Synthesize and critique major theories and arguments in the field in your written work;
6. Demonstrate that you understand the implications of new evidence for a given theory in your oral and written work;
7. Demonstrate that you can identify different methods of research in the field and their possible implications for findings in your oral and written work;
Personal and Key Skills8. demonstrate oral and written analytical and organizational skills in essays, online and/or in-person discussion with some guidance;
9. Write essays to a deadline.

Indicative Reading List

This reading list is indicative - i.e. it provides an idea of texts that may be useful to you on this module, but it is not considered to be a confirmed or compulsory reading list for this module.

McKay, David. 2017 (9th edition). American Politics and Society. Chichester: Wiley Blackwell.

Fiorina, Morris. 2017. Unstable Majorities:Polarization, Party Sorting and Political Stalemate. Stanford: Hoover Institution Press.

Theiss-Morse, Elizabeth, Michael Wagner, William Flanigan, and Nancy Zingale. 2018 (14th edition). The Political Behavior of the American Electorate.

Thurber, James, and Antoine Yoshinaka (eds.). 2015. American Gridlock: The Sources, Character, and Impact of Political Polarization.

Wattenberg, Martin. 2015. Is Voting for Young People?